Cable or wire line clamp



He 9, 1936. s. BULLUM CABLE 0R WIRE LINE CLAMP Filed Aug. 19, 1935 2Sheets-Sheet l Jfaph' [Bu/Am 1936- s. BULLUM CABLE OR WIRE LINE CLAMP vFiled Aug. 19, 1933 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented June 9, 1936 PA-TENTOFFICE I :CABLE on WIRE LINE CLAMP Stephen'BuIIum, Overton, Texassignor'of threev fourths to A. D. Gaston, Austin, Tex, andonefourth toBulluni, Incorporated, Austin, Tex.

Application Alig'fist 19, 1933, Serial No. 685,796

4 Claims. (01 24-136) This invention relates to new and usefulimprovements in cable or wire line clamps.

One object of the invention, is to provide a wire line or cable clamphaving improved means for 5 clamping a Wire line or cable.

Another object of the invention is to provide a wire line or cable clamphaving longitudinal channels therethrough for receiving the lines andmeans for clamping thelines in said channels, 1 said means beingindependently operable and so arranged that an opposite pull. on thelines will tend to tighten said lines within the clamp.

A further object of the invention is to provide a wire line or cableclamp having longitudinal 15 channels therethrough for receiving thelines, a

gear rack and gear being provided for each channel whereby the lines maybe clamped within said channels, the gears being independently operablewhereby the line in one channel may be 20 held in a clamped positionwhile the other line is released. A still further object of theinventionis to provide a wire line or cable clamphaving longitudinalchannels therethrough for receiving the lines, 2 each channel having awedge-shaped key slidable therein, the channels and. keys having angledcomplementary faces wherebymovement of the keys will move said keys intoand out of clamping position and means for independently operating 30the keys, said means being so, arranged that an opposite pull on thelines will tend to move the keys into a tighter clamping position. 1Another object of the invention is to provide a wire line or cable clamphaving a pairof clamp- 35 ing wedge-shaped keys, each provided with agear rack and a gear engaging said rack to move said key into and out ofclamping position, the keys being independently operated in'oppositedirections, whereby a pull in one directionflonone side 40 of the clamptends to tighten the clamping key on that side by rolling the gear upthe rack, while a pull in the opposite direction on the other side ofthe clamp tends to tighten the clamping key on that side by rolling itsgear down its inclined rack.

A construction designed to carry out the invention will be hereinafterdescribed, together with other features of the invention.

The invention will be more readily understood from a reading of thefollowing specification and by reference to the accompanying drawings inwhich an example of the invention is shown, and wherein:

Figure 1 is a plan view of a clamp constructed in accordance with theinvention,

Figure 2 is a front elevation of the same,

7 Figure 3 is a side elevation of the clamp showing the wire lineclamped within the same and passing over a sheave,

Figure 4 is a transverse vertical sectional view, 5

Figure 5 is aperspective view of one of the clamping keys, 7 t

Figure 6 is a perspective view of one of the keepers, and v Figure 7 isa perspective view of one of the op- 10 crating gear members.

In the drawings the numeral 10 designates an elongated clamp body orsupport. Longitudinal tapered openings or channels H extend through thebody at each end face thereof. Each channel is triangular in crosssection throughout its length and each has a guideway l2 extendingoutwardly therefrom. A wedge-shaped key 13 is mounted toslide-longitudinally in each channel and each key has a centrallongitudinal guide [4 on its front side engaging in its respectiveguideway.

Each guide has a forwardly projecting boss l5 located nearer its lowerend. This boss extends from'the guideway and has a bearing recess [6receiving a transverse shaft H. The shaft is confined within the recessby a keeper 18., The keeper is provided with a recess l9 at each sideand fingers 20 project rearwardly from said keeper. Pins 2| on the bossl5 engage in apertures 22 in the keeper and by upsetting the ends ofthese pins the keeper is fastened to the boss Vertical gear racks 23 areformed on each side of the clamp body I0 adjacent the end of eachguideway l2 and extend longitudinally along each side of said guideway.Gears 24 fastened on the shafts I! are confined in the recesses IS oneach side of the bosses l5 and these gears engage the racks 23. Eachshaft extends outwardly to one side and has a suitable operating handle25 on its end. The fingers 20 of each keeper l8 overhang the outer sidesof the racks and guide said keeper. When one of the shafts I1 isrotated, its gears 24 are caused to travel up and down its respectiveracks 23, whereby the boss l5 and key I3 attached to said shaft arelongitudinally adjusted. From the foregoing description, it is obviousthat each key l3 has its individual gear racks 23 and operating shaft[1, whereby each key may be operated independently of the other. Thus,if for any reason it is desired to change the position of one of thelines with relation to the clamp, this line may be released and itsposition changed while the opposite line is held in a clamped position.

It will be noted that on each side of the guide l4 front faces 26 of thekey are inclined downwardly and rearwardly. Within each channel llcomplementary inclines 21 are provided on each side of each guideway I2, By observing Figure 4, it is seen that the keys [3 are placed in thechannels in opposite directions; that is, the key I3 at the forward endof the body is arranged to move inwardly within the channel when theshaft l1, attached thereto, is rotated to cause the gears to move thekey downwardly; while the key I3 at the rear portion of the body isarranged to move inwardly within its channel II when its shaft I1 isrotated to cause its gears to travel upwardly.

Each key [3 has a general triangular shape to conform to the channel andis provided with a Vertical concaved seat 28 in its inner side. Theinner side of each channel formsa crotch 29 for receiving the wire linecable A.- As each key is moved inwardly, it crowds the cable into thecrotch and thus clamps it. Owing to the V-shape of each crotch, varioussizes of cable may be clamped, the cable being wedged in said crotch bythe key i3. A suitable handle 30 may, if desired, be made integral withthe body of the clamp.

In Figure 3, I have shown one use of the clamp wherein the wire lineorcable A is passed over a sheave 3i. With this arrangement one side ofthe cable is pulling upwardly and the opposite side is pullingdownwardly. By using the clamp as described,- the downward pull on theforward key l3 (left side of Figure 3) will tend to move the gears 24 onthe forward shaft H in a downward direction on their racks 23, therebycausing said key to more firmly clamp the cable. At the same time, thepull on the cable on the opposite key l3 will be in an upward direction,thereby causing the gears 24 on the shaft I! of that key to travelupwardly along its gear racks 23 to more firmly clamp the cable in therear channel II. It is obvious that each shaft I! is rotatableindependently of the other, whereby each key may be independentlyadjusted to clamp the cable in its respective channel.

The device is not to be limited to any particular use for it is obviousmany uses may be found. For instance, the clamp may be used to connecttwo pieces of cable. The arrangement of the keys i3 is an importantfeature of the invention as it allows for an opposite pull on each key,which serves to tighten the grip of the keys on the cable and providefor a positive clamping action. The description which has been givenrecites more or less detail of a particular embodiment of the invention,which is set forth as new and useful, however, I desire it understoodthat the invention is not limited to such exact details of construction,because it is manifest that changes and modifications may be made withinthe scope of; the appended claims without departing from thes'pirit ofthe invention.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. A rod or line clamp comprising, an elongated body provided with atapered longitudinal channel which is triangular in cross-section,whereby the rod or cable in the channel is engaged at two spaced pointson its surface, a wedge-shaped key in the channel engaging the rod orcable for forcing it into contact with the side walls of the channel andwedging it therein, whereby said rod or cable is securely clamped, arack adjacent the longitudinal channel on the elongated body, and anactuating member on the back of the key extending at substantially rightangles thereto and provided with a pinion for engaging said rack.

2. A rod or line clamp comprising, an elongated body provided with atapered longitudinal channel which is triangular in cross-section,whereby the rod or cable in the channel is engaged at two spaced pointson its surface, a wedge-shaped key in the channel engaging the rod orcable for forcing it into contact with the side walls of the channel andwedging it therein, whereby said rod or cable is securely clamped, arack adjacent each side of the channel on the elongated body and anactuating member on the back of the key extending at substantially rightangles thereto and provided with pinions for engaging said racks formoving said key longitudinally of said channel to wedge and release therod or cable therein.

3. A rod or line clamp comprising, an elongated body provided with atapered longitudinal channel which is triangular in cross-section,whereby the rod or cable in the channel is engaged at two spaced pointson its surface, a wedge-shaped key in the channel engaging the rod orcable for forcing it into contact with the side walls of the channel andwedging it therein, whereby said rod or cable is securely clamped, arack adjacent each side of the longitudinal channel on the elongatedbody, a keeper mounted on the back of said key, pinions confined by saidkeeper and engaging complementary racks, and means for rotating thepinions.

4. A rod or line clamp including, an elongated body having end faces,said body being provided with alongitudinal tapered channel extendingthrough the end faces, said channel being of triangular cross sectionthroughout its length, whereby the rod or cable in the channel isengaged at two spaced points on its surface, a tapered key shaped toconform with said channel and slidable therein engaging the rod or cablefor forcing it into contact with the side walls of the channel andwedging it therein, whereby said rod or cable is securely clamped, andmeans for moving said key longitudinally of said channel to wedge andrelease the rod or cable therein.

. STEPHEN BULLUM.

